Catherine Middleton's Wedding Tiara: Suggestions and Musings

[royski1]

Does anyone have any links with the press in the UK? It would be too funny if someone could pass the idea of Catherine's family buying her the Portland Tiara, on to the press, then the Middletons see it and think it is jolly good idea too. LOL

 

[SASSY]

How tall is it, does anyone know? She also has lovely long hair and can arrange an elegant up-do to anchor whatever tiara.

I think it's rather big, and heavy looking from the photo of Q. Alexandra. Kate has alot of hair so I guess if she really wanted to she could pull it off.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, both Lady Sarah and Lady Jane wore the same tiara that Diana did.

Did Diana's sisters where the tiara on their wedding day? I don't think so.

Yes, this is true. The title of Prince or Princess goes only as far as the grandchildren of the Sovereign and then only through the male line.

Am I right in thinking that their children, if they have them while the Queen is still alive, will only be Lords and Lady's.

I can see it now: take a lot of the volume out of the skirt to make it slim; cut off the sleeves and the shoulders; take the antique lace and make little shoulder pieces so the dress won't be completely strapless.

I wonder when we will read the first article saying that Catherine is going to recycle Diana's wedding dress.

 

[Lady Claire]

I wonder when we will read the first article saying that Catherine is going to recycle Diana's wedding dress.

Oh, wouldn't that be a sight!
I hope she wears something small personally. I think the bigger tiaras will overpower her.

 

[scooter]

Really? Is Kate not quite tall 5'10" ish?

 

[firebee34]

If this one (http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f20/british-royal-jewels-of-the-past-7698-9.html#post816476) still exists, I think it would be amazing as well.

This tiara is Queen Mary's diamond loop tiara. From what I have read, it was broken up and the stones used in QEII's burmese ruby tiara

 

[firebee34]

I think it's called the lotus leaf tiara because of the motif. It belonged to Princess Margaret and was worn by the Viscountess Linley her wedding day.

This tiara, I believe is called the 'Papyrus' tiara

 

[SASSY]

This tiara is Queen Mary's diamond loop tiara. From what I have read, it was broken up and the stones used in QEII's burmese ruby tiara

I think it's just as well because that one looked is high off head in the photos.

 

[salma]

Perhaps her parents buy a tiara for her.

 

[Aestheticus Rex]

You may be interested in my blog post.

Aestheticus Rex: A Tale of Tiara's: What will the Queen bestow upon Kate Middleton?

 

[Duchessmary]

Interesting post. Thanks!

 

[SLV]

Lovely blog-post.
Thanks for writing it and posting it here.

 

[Aestheticus Rex]

Lovely blog-post.
Thanks for writing it and posting it here.

Oh, many thanks, it was a pleasure to write. I was dismayed to read in the Mirror that evidently Kate will be offered the Cambridge Lovers Knot. Is this so? There was no citation to a press release from the palace....dubious.

 

[James in London]

Like your rundown of tiaras Kate could wear... I think the Strathmore rose would be lovely, so nice to see if back out again. However it's also be great to see a major piece see the light of day. The Rundell would be fab. I really hope Her Maj gets generous and gives her more than one...

 

[wymanda]

This tiara is Queen Mary's diamond loop tiara. From what I have read, it was broken up and the stones used in QEII's burmese ruby tiara

There was an interesting photoshop of this tiara modified some time ago. I think it was when we were guessing on a tiara for Camilla.

 

[Aestheticus Rex]

Like your rundown of tiaras Kate could wear... I think the Strathmore rose would be lovely, so nice to see if back out again. However it's also be great to see a major piece see the light of day. The Rundell would be fab. I really hope Her Maj gets generous and gives her more than one...

Does the Rundell still exist? I love the design but am not sure of its whereabouts. This is the only reason it was not included in my blog post, it has been out of circulation longer than the County of Surrey Tiara. It is almost as light and sweet as the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland with nearly the same lozenge bandeau base....perfection.

AR
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Aestheticus Rex: A Tale of Tiara's: What will the Queen bestow upon Kate Middleton?

 

[countess felicitas]

Hm - so my favourites would still be the Strathmore (I think it would fit perfectly) and the Papyrus (my all time personal favourite).
For reasons posted in the RTF several times, I don't think we will see one or the other.
I still don't hope it will be the Lovers knot - this would be too much of "kitsch".
So - it might be nice to have a complete new one:

Bentley & Skinner (what about this)

or something which haven't been seen for years..... Empress Maria Feodorovna bandeau

What do my fellow posters think?

 

[SLV]

That tiara from B&S is lovely.

 

[Tilia C.]

That Bentley & Skinner tiara is a beauty. But I think that in case they decide to purchase a new tiara for Kate they will be extremely secretive. Remember that nothing much was ever known about the origin of Sarah's tiara. Also Mette-Marit and Mary received antique tiaras for their wedding, but nothing became public about the origin, price, vendor etc. I just can't imagine that the BRF will buy a tiara with the price tag all over the www. But surely one or another jewellery companies would have a nice anonymous tiara in their safe...

Re. the Maria Feodorovna sapphire bandeau: I'm not fond of wedding tiaras with coloured stones, but maybe the sapphire can be interchanged with a nice diamond element? It would be great if Catherine received a versatile tiara.

Imo it would also be an option that Catherine received the sapphire bandeau as her permanent tiara, but borrows the fringe tiara, which has a certain tradition as wedding tiara, for her wedding.

All in all there are so many possibilities! When Victoria married I was 95% sure that it would be the cameo tiara. But with Catherine there is no tiara which I would give more than 30% probability.

 

[Evenstar120]

I love the gorgeous Kokoshnik tiara, although I think it would be slightly overwhelming for Kate to wear on her wedding day, something smaller and more delicate would perhaps be appropriate. I don't think the lovers knot tiara would look right either. It is so difficult to say what would be a good choice, because I think you would need to coordinate the tiara with her gown. I have to say I think either the Rundell Diamond or the Strathmore Rose would look amazing.

 

[MRSJ]

You may be interested in my blog post.

Aestheticus Rex: A Tale of Tiara's: What will the Queen bestow upon Kate Middleton?

Oh lovely post- I like the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland best or the fringe George III but that might be to much for Catherine

 

[scooter]

GGB is QEII favorite/most often worn tiara for whatever reason (comfort, weight, history). I dont see her giving it up for her lifetime. I still vote for the Rundell. And if Kate doesnt want it I'll take it. I think I would look fab in a bubble bath and a glass of Veuve Cliquot.

 

[Tilia C.]

I agree that it's unlikely that QEII will give up her favourite tiaras, so I don't expect to see the Girls, Vladimir or Kokoshnik tiaras on Catherine any time soon.
The Rundell seems too big for a young, modern women like Catherine (although I would not be amoung those who would complain about a new sighting of this beauty!). I know, Princess Alexandra wore it as a very young woman, but those were diffenrent times. Also I wonder if the Rundell still exists. It is strange that Queen Mary was never seen with it, as she loved her jewels sooo much.
It would also be great to see the Surrey tiara or the Ladies of England tiara (which is not in your wonderful blog) again. Yet I fear that they don't exist anymore.
That photo of the sapphire bandeau is the clearest I have yet seen of this tiara. It is great to see the sunburst pattern of it more clearly. I wonder if the sapphire could be interchanged with a diamond element? That way Catherine would have an all diamond wedding tiara, and later she could also wear the sapphire version.
One can only hope that the Queen comes up with a really good solution. I don't want to see something similar to Sophie's wedding tiara!

 

[wymanda]

It is strange that Queen Mary was never seen with it, as she loved her jewels sooo much.

Queen Alexandra passed away in 1925 (or thereabouts). Queen Mary already had buckets of favourite pieces. The Rundell was part of a parure that included the pearl & diamond necklace, brooch & earings that the Queen Mother wore from the time she became Queen to the end of her life. It has been documented by Menkes, Field & Munn that Queen Mary & King George came together with two of his three sisters after Queen Alexandra died to split up her jewels. QM ensured that any wedding gifts remained within the BRF jewel vault. This would have included the Rundell parure as it had been given to the then Princess Alexandra of Denmark by her bridegroom. Also retained was the Danish Dagmar necklace.

 

[Tilia C.]

You are right about the buckets of jewellery Queen Mary had! And she loved all the stuff and tried on so much of it at least once. Oh, I would just love to discover a picture of her with the Rundell!
Let's hope that the Rundell is really still untouched and ready for future wearers. But I don't think that Catherine should wear it right now.

 

[cmbruno]

I think that if the Rundell still exists it will go to Camilla one day (and maybe the Oriental as well). I guess Camilla will never wear the Girls of GB and I and Vladmir's. These will go to Catherine when she becomes the Queen.

 

[scooter]

If the title designated is Cambridge, I wonder if some of those Cambridge jewels would come along with it? There were those gorgeous emeralds as well as that tiara.

 

[branchg]

If the title designated is Cambridge, I wonder if some of those Cambridge jewels would come along with it? There were those gorgeous emeralds as well as that tiara.

Entirely possible, although William may decide that the comparisons to his mother are already intense enough with the engagement ring and prefer Kate not be given the Lover's Knot Tiara or the Cambridge Emerald Choker to wear by The Queen.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I guess Camilla will never wear the Girls of GB and I and Vladmir's. These will go to Catherine when she becomes the Queen.

I think she will wear those tiaras, they would look wonderful on her and I don't see why they should go to Catherine and miss out the Kings wife.

 

[Tilia C.]

I think that Camilla will be able to pick the tiaras she likes best, probably the big ones like Vladimir and kokoshnik. There will be enough left for Catherine, who will hopefully be allowed more than one or two tiaras while being PoW.